[TenTec] Ten Tec Omni VII

Mon Feb 1 17:19:10 PST 2010

Why did you have to call the guy a Puck ?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Art Trampler" <atrampler at att.net>
To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 7:03 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Ten Tec Omni VII


> Excellent observations Puck.  I run an Option III with the lower center
> frequency CW roofing filter, and the 221 lower CF 250hz N2 filter and love
> it...but the NR on it is just not what it can be on a newer rig.
>
> Would love to try one side by side with this, but don't think I'd be able 
> to
> send it back.
>
> 73,
> Art, K0R0
> 481
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
> On Behalf Of H. M. Motley, Jr,
> Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 5:49 PM
> To: tentec at contesting.com
> Subject: [TenTec] Ten Tec Omni VII
>
> I've had my Omni VII for 3 years now.  I find it to be an excellent radio
> especially in weak signal DXing and contesting.  It is different than most
> rigs I've used due to the way the DSP and AGC is implemented.  I find the
> main function of the RF gain is to first change the AGC threshhold and 
> then
> to reduce the gain as you get farther into the control.  I almost never 
> use
> the RF gain set at 100% on HF except maybe on 12 and 10 meters. Most all
> rigs have much more sensitivity than is needed for HF work and the OMNI 
> VII
> is no exception to this. I normally set the RF gain to the point that the
> S-meter reads about 1 S-unit above the ambient band noise.  You will 
> notice
> as you turn down the RF gain control the band noise decreases as the AGC
> threshold is increased yet the actual signal stays pretty constant.
> Apparently the AGC threshold at 100% RF gain is so low that it amplifies 
> the
> noise as well as the signal so the rig appears to be noisy but it is 
> really
> not.  Actually, weak
> signal DXer's have know for years that cutting off the AGC and backing 
> down
> the RF gain and increasing the AF gain can help in hearing the weak ones 
> no
> matter what radio they have.
>
> Another important feature to use is the AGC decay time adjustment button.
> According to the review by the RSGB the AGC decay times are:
> OFF  - 10ms (with this DSP radio it's never really completely off)
> FAST - 35ms
> MED. - 350ms
> SLOW - 2.5 sec
>
> Attack time is 1ms for all settings.
>
> The function of AGC is to maintain a constant level of audio from varying
> levels of signals. It increases the gain of weaker signals and reduces the
> gain of stronger signals. The decay time is how long this gain change 
> lasts.
> You can see if you have QRN and AGC set to slow, a big static crash will
> reduce your gain for up tp 2.5 seconds.  That's not good for trying to 
> hear
> the weak ones!  Normally I use Slow for SSB and Medium for CW but I find
> FAST or OFF is better for hearing the weak ones in the presence of QRN.
> During the 160 contest this past weekend there were extremely strong 
> signals
> spaced every 200-300Hz and Saturday night QRN levels at S-7 to S-9! At 
> times
> I had the RF gain on 0% and the AF gain to 100% and I could easily hear 
> the
> weaker S5 and below EU signals in the midst of the din.  Sometimes the DSP
> noise reduction also helped.   I have no low noise RX antenna.
>
> The Omni VII may not have the very best 2kHz 2 tone dynamic range but its
> 80-84db (depending on who ran the tests) appears to be enough, at least at
> my station. I had no trouble running them on 160 with the big boys close 
> to
> me on either side and have experienced no problem hearing the weak signals
> coming back to me on my QRG. I find no indication of phase noise being a
> problem either.
>
> Test reports and reviews are all well and good but there is no substitute
> for actually using the radio in real live operating conditions.  My Omni 
> VII
> passes this test very well and I'm extremely pleased with its performance.
>
> Other who are more technically competent than I can probably address the
> issue of AGC in a DSP radio like the Omni VII to greater detail and
> accuracy.  I can only report what I find in actually using the radio.
>
> 73,
> Puck W4PM
>
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:49:08 -0500
> From: <waltk8cv4612amos at att.net>
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Omni VI+ the best and other great radios
> To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
> Message-ID: <DEF81FD45C6444B2BBCE250C0E9DE69F at waltk8cv>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Not being smart enough to know the difference  ............... but, the 
> old
> Omni-6 with the same antennas and time frame is a world quieter in BAND
> NOISE than the nice new Omni 7, no matter how I twiddle the options or RF
> gain control, there you have it! Phase noise, maybe, it just seems way to
> sensitive and by the time I get rid of the band noise the signals went 
> with
> it! The K-3 and Orion 2 are every bit as good as the old omni-6 
> ...........
> go figure! Fun trying them all though :-) MAYBE it is the different
> architecture ?
>
> Walt K8CV Royal Oak, MI.
>
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